was impossible to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was impossible to understand" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that cannot be comprehended or grasped, often in relation to complex ideas or unclear communication. Example: "The instructions were so poorly written that they were impossible to understand."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Or something like that: it was impossible to understand, and it won.

The New Yorker

"Either they were guilty", Simonov says of Stalin's victims, "or it was impossible to understand".

The Economist

It was impossible to understand a word he said due to the noise.

The Guardian

Forsey said Adidas's decision to only sell the kits elsewhere — thought to be the Chelsea shop at its stadium and Adidas stores — was "impossible to understand".

Independent

Taken as a whole, the Ellington material ranks among the film's best; but the last point made by the film is that he was impossible to understand.

The New York Times - Arts

Eugene Archer, who was covering the festival for the Times, wrote that almost everyone agreed the film "was impossible to understand after a single viewing".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Clearly too it is impossible to understand Jamestown without understanding the fate of Indian tribes.

The New York Times - Arts

It is impossible to understand modern Russia without understanding its natural gas monopoly, Gazprom.

Forbes

Without understanding science, it is impossible to understand scientific theories.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

It's impossible to understand the Korean presence in Iraq without understanding our complex and unequal relationship with the United States.

The New York Times

In today's world, it is impossible to understand the modern and complex financial system without understanding basic economics and finance (Sukumaran 2015).

Financial Innovation

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider replacing "was impossible to understand" with stronger synonyms like "incomprehensible" or "unintelligible" if you want to emphasize the level of difficulty or confusion.

Common error

While grammatically correct, relying heavily on "was impossible to understand" can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your language by using alternatives like "defied comprehension" or "remained unclear" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was impossible to understand" functions as a descriptive statement, indicating a lack of comprehensibility. Ludwig provides several examples where this phrase is used to describe complex ideas or unclear communication, emphasizing the inability to grasp the meaning.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was impossible to understand" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express a lack of comprehension. Ludwig's analysis, supported by numerous real-world examples, indicates its prevalence in news, scientific, and formal writing. While the phrase is generally acceptable, varying your language with synonyms like "incomprehensible" or "defied understanding" can improve writing quality. Ludwig AI provides useful alternatives, helping writers to precisely convey the intended meaning and avoid repetition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was incomprehensible

Replaces "impossible to understand" with a single adjective, maintaining the core meaning of lacking comprehensibility.

could not be understood

Uses a passive voice construction, focusing on the lack of understanding rather than the inherent difficulty.

defied understanding

Emphasizes the resistance to comprehension, suggesting a higher degree of difficulty.

was beyond comprehension

Highlights the extreme difficulty, implying that understanding was unattainable.

was not understandable

A more direct and simple alternative, indicating a lack of clarity.

was too complex to understand

Attributes the difficulty to the complexity of the subject, providing a reason for the lack of understanding.

was unintelligible

Similar to "incomprehensible", but may suggest a lack of coherence.

remained a mystery

Shifts the focus from understanding to the unknown nature of the subject.

eluded understanding

Similar to 'defied understanding' but is more elegant and formal.

was hard to make sense of

Emphasizes the effort required and the ultimate failure to find meaning.

FAQs

How can I use "was impossible to understand" in a sentence?

Use "was impossible to understand" to describe something that could not be comprehended. For example, "The instructions were so poorly written that they were impossible to understand".

What are some alternatives to "was impossible to understand"?

You can use alternatives like "was incomprehensible", "could not be understood", or "defied understanding" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "was impossible to understand" or "could not understand"?

"Was impossible to understand" emphasizes the inherent difficulty in understanding something, while "could not understand" focuses on the individual's inability. The best choice depends on the specific context.

What's the difference between "was impossible to understand" and "was difficult to understand"?

"Was impossible to understand" implies a complete lack of comprehension, while "was difficult to understand" suggests that understanding was challenging but not necessarily unattainable. Use "was difficult to understand" when something requires significant effort to comprehend.